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Thread: ACB Doubler - Review Video

  1. #1

    ACB Doubler - Review Video

    Here is the video I put together with my overall impressions of the DOUBLER. (I'm still hoping to do a video of a piece of music with piano, but venue availability is becoming tricky.)

    Not mentioned in the video is something I thought to check just today. The valve spacing is the same as on my Adams, based on a quick & dirty measurement. For some reason it feels like less of a reach across 123, which is why I checked. Might be the finger buttons just "fit" me better.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbug4CDv2VE

    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853
    Excellent and thorough review of the ACB Doubler Dave. The 4th valve lock looks almost identical to my M5050 where I’ve had no complaints.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  3. #3
    I realized after I finished that I didn't mention intonation in the review. In my mind that box was already checked because I had already put it in the intonation graphs. It's a confusing issue to simply discuss without context. Just now I was doing some comparisons and found a couple that were interesting.

    The Doubler seems to be in the same family as the JP Sterling 374 for pitch direction:



    And it holds up pretty well compared to Prestige 2051:

    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by RickF View Post
    Excellent and thorough review of the ACB Doubler Dave. The 4th valve lock looks almost identical to my M5050 where I’ve had no complaints.
    Thanks, Rick! On my Bessons and Sterlings I had the flipper type of lock. I would periodically have to check the screw for tightness. And at some point I started using a woodwind mouthpiece pad on the large branch, right where the flipper would contact the tube. That kept it from vibrating and making noise. The simple flipper was very convenient to activate, but had its drawbacks! This ACB and M5050 type is a bit less convenient, but much more "safe" and dependable I think.
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  5. Great review.
    On the original shop video he A/B'd with with the 321 and I quite preferred the 321.
    I think it comes down to player now, at least to the point where, when I listen carefully to the playing in this review, I mostly just hear Dave Werden.
    So I still prefer ACB's man on the 321 in the A/B setup, but Dave makes this horn sound really good.

    But that I'm in Canada, I'd be on the Doubler's list of Tour Dates. If I ever get to Kansas City (I've heard there are some crazy little women there...) I'm going to check it out.

  6. David,

    Beautiful review. I think you covered the important parts and Trent should be jumping up and down with the quality of your review! I can think of a few more things I want to look in to when I do my own review, but I guarantee my production values will be nowhere near as good! I will play with my collection of heavy 4th valve caps. I also will look closely at the positioning of the leadpipe as it relates to ergonomics, in particular how far up the bell it is positioned and how far does it wrap around the bell. Also the "handrest to 1-2-3 valve" positioning. The leadpipe positioning has a great deal to say about use of the horn by the small of stature or young (pre-adolescent) players vs. professional trombone/tuba players who might be using it purely as a doubler. The hand rest positioning also relates to the same. I will re-do the intonation charts given my embouchure just to see if things come out any different for me. I probably will do a couple of excerpts from Moreceau Symphonique in both the high and low range to see how it sounds across the range. Also maybe the first 16-32 bars of Suite in F to test out response of low range.

    Doug
    Last edited by daruby; 11-23-2020 at 11:07 AM.
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

  7. Quote Originally Posted by daruby View Post
    David,

    Beautiful review. I think you covered the important parts and Trent should be jumping up and down with the quality of your review!

    Doug
    I am absolutely floored! When I envisioned this trial I just thought folks might write a sentence or two with their thoughts. This far, FAR, FAR surpasses what I had imagined. I am so very thankful and appreciative!

    This gives us so much to work with to work on improving them even further.

    Best regards and again thank you so much!
    -T
    Trent Austin
    Owner
    Austin Custom Brass
    www.austincustombrass.biz
    I started on Baritone BTW in 3rd grade band

  8. #8
    Happy to help, Trent! In a diverse group (but a serious group) like this one you can probably harvest several good tips/suggestions/kudos.

    Curious if anyone else has a problem with the lyre box on the 1st slide. I often hold the horn there when picking it up and it hurts! It is not a big deal, though. If it were my own I would take out the screw and tape it inside the case somewhere. I wonder if I'm unusual in handling the horn this way.

    Great ideas, Doug! Morceau is a piece that is still played by countless people who may use horns like this one, for one thing.

    I should have mentioned, in passing anyway, that it has a floating leadpipe.

    The handgrip was positioned well, but was a trifle narrow for me as I moved the horn around. I'm curious to see if that is just a personal issue for me.

    As far as leadpipe position, I found it unsurprising. That is, it does not match my upstream embouchure any better than most stock horns. Maybe you can tell a little from this video about the suitability for shorter players. As a reminder, my torso is somewhat long for my height (and my legs are slightly shorter).

    This is from today. I asked Sara to run through Liebesfreud with me because we have already put up a video using my Adams. The goal was twofold: 1, to give a sense of how it sounds in real life with a piano in a live room, and 2, to allow someone to compare it to my Adams if they want (although I don't that is too useful). Here is today's session:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmEYdwNsAHE

    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  9. David,

    I listened carefully to both versions (Adams vs. ACB). I could hear very few differences in style or pitch and they both sounded like you. Of course, I don't know how it feels from behind the mouthpiece in terms of response and ease of performance. Also, I was aware of your underbite and the requirement for adjustments to the leadpipe angle for your comfort. The biggest difference in sound appears to me to be that the Adams sounds a bit more robust and melodic compared with the ACB. This may be based on microphone placement since they are not the same in each performance. Notwithstanding, you continue to sound great on both.

    Doug
    Last edited by daruby; 11-23-2020 at 11:19 PM.
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853
    I also listened to both recordings and as Doug said, “you sound like you”. I did notice some alternate fingerings (1-3) for the 6th partial Eb and it sounded fine. Your trills or turns sounded comfortable and easy.

    Got to say, Sara is a real gem!
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

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